A £1M cash boost should help national park chiefs plan their way clear of the aftermath of last year's foot-and-mouth crisis.

It has been almost 12 months since the Government confirmed the outbreak was at an end - although its legacy is still being felt in many parts of the countryside.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has a raft of new policies aimed at breathing life into the rural economy.

However, many rely on Government funding - so news that Westminster is willing to help foot the bill has been greeted with relief.

Yesterday, Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael confirmed the authority's core grant will rise from £3,958,616 for the current financial year to £4,337,283 for next year.

Alongside an additional £200,000 for the authority's Sustainable Development Fund, the national park has also been awarded another £500,000 grant towards a new northern office in Bainbridge, Wensleydale.

In all, the authority will be £1,078,667 better off than it has been over the past 12 months.

Chief executive David Butterworth said: "For the third year in a row, the Government has increased our grant, giving us the funds to spend in the national park on programmes which will benefit the landscape, our local communities and the many millions of visitors each year.

"It has also recognised the huge responsibility we have under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, which will lead to access to open countryside in 2005.

"Mr Michael came to the Yorkshire Dales to launch the Sustainable Development Fund himself and, today, it is challenging organisations, individuals and businesses to come forward with new ideas for achieving a more sustainable way of living in the countryside.

"This news means that - in addition to the £125,000 we have already received this year - the fund will grow in the new financial year when we will receive an additional £200,000 to pay for community and business-led initiatives to benefit the environment, communities and the local economy of the national park."